Collapsible container



M. M. CUNNINGHAM COLLAPSIBLEVCONTAINERV June 1 1, 1957 Filed Aug. 5,1955 R we I fllilllllqll M Q g N\ @3 Q Q N lmrm 'Uflitd States 2,795,257COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER "Marion M.'-Cunnin'gham, Providence,'R. I.,assignor to 'iUnitedStates Rubber Company, New ork, "-Y., a corporationofNewJersey ApplicationiAugust'i 1955,1Serial No. 526,119 6' Claims.-(Cl.' 150- 1) This 'invention relates to .a .collapsiblecontainer .forliquids such as gasoline, oil, water, chemicals .and foodstuffs.

The primary .object :of the'invention ,isto {provide a.collapsiblecontainer of a construction which.willfacilitatetheIhandling of the filled container andthedispensing of.the liquids therefrom.

' .To this-end, the containeris formedof flexible,-liquid imperviousmaterial, such as rubberized cord fabricand is of a generallycylindrical shape when filled .and-.ex-

.panded. The container is provided.witharhollow rrigid :tube, openatleast.at,one end, which extends internally .of the .containerfromoneuend theerof to .the other and g .is rigidly secured toendafittingsattached to. centralpori of hose "is permanentlysecured-to an openingthrough the 'wall oftherigid-tube. The other end of 'the'hose isprovided with a clampor-ot-her suitable closurefor closing iofl? 1 thehose. To empty the container/the length of hose is extended from itsstorage space within the tube and the clamp or closure released topermit the liquid from the container to flow through the opening throughthe wall of the rigid tube and out through the hose. The liquid may bewithdrawn from the container by means of a pump attached to the hose ormay be siphoned out of the container through the hose.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description when read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the collapsible container of the presentinvention, and

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view showing an alternate form of endfitting for the container.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1, the container ofthe present invention, when filled and expanded, is of generallycylindrical shape. The cylindrical body portion 10 and the end or headportions 11 are conveniently formed of plies of rubberized cord fabric,either textile or wire and fabric, in the manner described in U. S.Patent Nos. 2,612,924 and 2,672,902, though it will be appreciated thatother liquid impervious flexible materials, such as some types of sheetplastics may be used.

For storing liquid foodstuffs and fuels, a neoprene rubber isparticularly suitable as the coating rubber for the cord fabric plies,particularly the inner surface of the innermost ply, as neoprene doesnot impart an objectionuable taste tothe foodstuffs and is not adverselyeffected by 'fuel suchas gasoline and oil. v -zIn :accordance with theinvention, the container is ,provided-With a rigid, hollow tube 12 ofmetal or other .suitablerigid material. The tube lz-extends internallyof the container from one end thereof to the other-end-and is rigidlysecured to fittings '13 attachedfto'centralportions of ,each of the ends'11.

, 'a-EflCh fitting 13 includes an inner annular plate 13a :and .an.outerannular plate 1312 between which the walls -of 1hecontainer surroundingan opening through the-ends 11 are clamped by means of bolts 130 whichextend through the outer plate and .thread into the. inner-plate.

The ends of the tube 12 are rigidly secured to the innenplates 13a .bywelding or :bybeing (threaded therein YSOJflSatO form a. fluid itightseal 'therebetween and to pre- -vent cocking of the fittings 13' in theends of .thec'ontainer. iTheqouter gplates 13b carry pivotally 'mountedD-rings 13d:by'1Which-.the container may be lifted, dragged or .rolled-.by the attachment of cables or the like thereto.

;.The .rigid tube. 12 provides the container with rigidity.zagainsttlongitudinal bending, thereby permitting the con- .'.--tainerto be rolled or dragged by cables attached to the 1 .r-ings 1311. Thetube 12 alsotakes the loadwhen .the

. filled container is lifted from one end.

The tube-12 alsoxprovides a storagespacezfor alength :offlexible.emptyinghosetli when theehose is not infuse. Thettubezl-2 hasan opening 15 through the wallthereof communicating with the interior.of a container and "one end oftthehose is attachedto the opening 1-5Ibya suitable Z-fit'ting 16. A clamp 17 or othersuitable closure is"prowided-at the other-end ofthe hose for selectively .closing :oropening theh'ose. 'The hose is of a -much-.smaller -diameter .thanthetube "12 so that -a-substantial length aofahose can be stored-within thetubeby'folding-the hose :as illustratedin Fig. 1.

When it istdesired to empty the container, Ethehose is pulled outthrough :the open-end ofthetubelz and the clamp-enclosure released sothat the liquid can 'fiow out through-the hose. The liquid can bewithdrawn from the liquid.istwithdrawn. theicontainer collapsesduetoIthe negative pressure created therein thereby insuring completeemptying of the container. No venting of the container during emptyingis necessary. The container can be filled either through the hose orthrough a separate filling opening 18 provided in one of the ends 11.

In Fig. 2 there is shown an alternate form of end fitting for thecontainer shown in Fig. 1. In this form, the D-rings have a swivel orrotary connection with the end fittings so that they can freely turnthereby facilitating the rolling of the container by cables, chains orthe like attached thereto.

As shown in Fig. 2 the D-ring 19 is pivotally attached to an annularswivel plate 20. The swivel plate 20 in turn is journaled in an annularspace 21 formed between an outer annular plate 22a and an inner annularplate 22b forming the end fitting 22 for the container. The containerwall surrounding the opening through the ends of the container isclamped between the outer annular plate 22a and the inner annular plate22b by clamping bolts 23 which extend through the outer plate 22a andthreads into the inner plate 22b. The end of the tube 12 is rigidlysecured to the inner plate 22b.

From the above description, it can be seen that there is provided animproved collapsible container which may be easily moved without thenecessity of expensive lifting equipment. To move the container, it isonly necessary to attach cables to the D-rings at each end of acontainer and pull the container along the ground by means of anyavailable vehicle. In lifting, connection is made only to one end of thecontainer so that the load is carried axially by the tube 12. Inasmuchas the container, carries its own emptying tube, the container may i beeasily emptied. Conveniently a number of the-filled 1 containers can betransported on a flat-bed truck, with t the containers disposedtransversely of the bed with their ends" adjacent the side of the truck.In this manner, the containers may be emptied without removal thereoffrom the truckmerely by pulling the emptying hoses thereof from withinthe rigid tubes.

While certain preferred forms of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that i this is for the purpose ofillustration only and that modifications could be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. 5

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patentis:

1. A collapsible container having a generally cylindrical body portionand end portions of a flexible liquid impervious material, a rigidtubeextending internally of the container from one end thereof to the other,said rigid tube being rigidly secured at each end to rigid fittingsattached to the center portion of each of said end portions ofthe'container, said rigid tube-having at least one end open to theexterior of the container, said rigid tube having an'opening through thewall thereof communicating withthe interior of the container, a hose rsecured to said opening, said hose being of a length to extend asubstantial distance out of the open end of the v tube and being adaptedto be folded and stored in said tubewhen not in use, and attaching ringssecured to each of said fittings externally of the container.

2. 'Acollapsible container having agenerallycylin I drical body portionand end portions of a flexible liquid impervious material, a rigid tubeextending internally of the container from one end thereof to the other,said rigid tube being secured at each end to the central portion closuremeans for opening and closing said hose.

tube when not inuse, the free end of saidhose having 3. A collapsiblecontainer having a generally cylindrical body portion and end portionsof a flexible liquid impervious material, a rigid tube extendinginternally of the, container from one end thereof to the other, saidrigid tube being secured at each end to a central portion of each ofsaid end portions of the container and having at least one end open tothe exterior of the container, and means for filling and emptying saidcontainer.

4. A collapsible container having a generally cylindrical body portionand end portions of a flexible liquid impervious material, a rigid tubeextending internally of the container from one end thereof to the other,said rigid tube being secured to each end to rigid end fittings attachedto the center portion of each of said end portions of the container, andsaid rigid tube having at least one end thereof open to the exterior ofthe container, and means for filling and emptying said container.

5. A collapsible container having a generally cylindrical body portionand end portions of a flexible liquid impervious material, a rigidhollow member extending internally of the container from one end thereoftothe other, said rigid member being rigidly secured at each end torigid end fittings attached to the center portion of each of each ofsaid end portions of the container and a ring member rotatably securedto each ofsaid fittings for rotation in a plane perpendicular to theaxis of said rigid member, and means for filling and emptying saidcontainer.

6. A collapsible container having a generally cylindrical body portionand end portions of a flexible liquid impervious material, a rigidhollow member extending internally of the container from one end thereofto the other and secured at each end to center portions of the endportions of the container, attaching means rotatably secured to each endof said rigid member for rotation in a plane perpendicular to the axisof said rigid member, and means for filling and emptying said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS336,981 Bartlett Mar. 2,, 1886 1,535,308 Hele-Shaw et al. Apr. 28, 19252,622,645 Pfleumer Dec. 23,, 1952 2,637,862 Freas May 12, 1953 2,677,406Cunningham May 4, 1954

